Abdeew eppler



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

V l A.EPPLEB,-Jr. MAGHINE FOR FEEDING AND SETTING LAGING HOOKS.

No. 255,076. Patented Mar. 14,1882,

(Remodel IIIIMW' Ulln E I 3' MHH' 'PT. I

" (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. EPPLER, Jr.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING AND SETTING LAGING HOOKS; N 0-. 255,076. Patented Mar. 14,1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW EPPLER, JR, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETT ASSIGNOR TO DAVID WHITTEMORE, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING AND SETTING LACiNG-HOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,076, dated March 14, 1882.

Application filed January 31,1882. (No model.)

To all, whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANDREW EPPLER, Jr., ofiQuincy, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvemeuts in Machines for Feeding and Setting Tracing-Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide 1 an improved machine for securing lacing-hooks [0 or equivalent fastening devices to the material orarticle to which they pertain, the hooks being automatically fed from a reservoir and conducted automatically to the setting or compressing device. g The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim. Of the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, Figures 1 and 2 represent elevations of opposite sides of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the reservoir. Figs. 4 and 5 represent sections on line or m, Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 represent perspective views of lacinghooks in different positions on the arm of the feed-plate. Fig. 8 represents a perspective view of another form of hook adapted to be used by the machine. Figs. 9 and 10 repre sent respectively sections on lines 3 y ande c, Fig. 1. Fig. 11 represents an enlarged top 0 view of a part of the machine. Figsfl2 and 13 represent sections on line a0" on, Fig. 11. Fig. 14. represents a section on line y y, Fig. 11. Fig. 15 represents a bottom view of the I feed-operating mechanism. Fig. 16 represents a section on line 2 2, Fig. 14.. Fig. 1. represents a sectiouonlineac w ,Fig.1. Figs. 18'and 19 represent sections on line 00 as, Fig. 11, showing the adaptation of the machine to the hook shown in Fig. 8.

The same letters of reference indicate thesame parts in all the figures. I

In the drawings, A represents the supporting-frame of the machine, adapted to be secured by its base a to a table or support.

B represents the setter or compressor to secure the fastening devices to the material. The setter is supported on the-end of a lever, G,

which is pivoted at D to the frame A, and is oscillated by suitable means to alternately raise and lower the setter.

E represents the roadway or guide for the lacing-hooks, said roadway being composed of a metallic guiding-strip, secured to an inclined flange, F, formed on the frame A. Said guide is set edgewise on said flange, atits upperend, 5

as shown in Figs. 1 and 9, so that a lacing hook, Gr, may bestride its upper edge, the hook beingin a vertical position. Part-way down the guide is given aquar ter-twist, so thatit lies.

flat upon the flange F, as shown in Fig. 10, and changes theposition of ahook sliding upon its edge, so that the hook becomes horizontal. The flange F is provided with a channel under the flat portion of the guide E,'for the reception of the outer arm of the book.

H represents the reservoir for the lacinghooks, said reservoir bein gsecured to the frame A at. the upper end of the guide or roadway E, the latter projecting into an orifice, I, iu'the reservoir. One side of the reservoir is prefer- 7o ably flat and the other side dish-shaped,1as' shown in Figs.4 and 5. Within the reservoir His a rotary feedingplate, J, which is rotated, step by step, bya shaft, K,journaled in the reservoir, a ratchet, L, on said shaft, a dog, M, 7 pivoted to an arm, N,journaled on said shaft, and a connecting rod, O, which connects the arm N with one of the arms of an operatinglever, P, which is pivoted at Q, to the frame A. The plate J is provided with a series of arms, B. One edge of each arm is curved, so thatit meets the adjacent edge of the next arm without an angle, such adjacentedge being approximately straight. The plate J rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, and the forward curved edge of each arm 1%, passing through the accumulated laciughooks in the lower portion of the reservoir, engages with one or more books which bestride said edge. As the plate rotates and the arms move up- 0 wardly, so that the curved edges become inclined downwardly, the hooks slide inwardly by gravitation, and finally slide outwardly upon the straight rear edges of the arms. Said edges are arranged to coincide with the guide E when 9 5 theyattain a considerable downward and outward inclination, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the books will slide from each arm R onto the guide and pass down the latter. It will be seen, therefore, that the front or curved edges of the arms act as collectors and the rear or straight edges as chutes to discharge the hooks upon the guidc'E, the hooks being thus supplied to the inserting mechanism with sufticient rapidity.

One variety of lacing-hook G is secured to the material or article to which it belongs by means of prongs S S. (See Figs. 6 and 7.) In another variety the hook is secured by means ofa tubular shank, T, (see Figs. 8, 1S, and 19,) which is inserted into the material and upset like an eyelet. Each of these varieties can be used in this machine. The pronged hook is liable, however, to bestride the arms R of the rotary feed-plate in the improper position shown in Figs. 5 and 7, instead of the proper position shown in Figs. 4 and 6. When the hook is thus improperly placed one of its edges projects laterally toward the flat side of the reservoir H farther than the head of the hook projects when properly placed, as will be seen by reference to Figs. 4. and 5-.

U represents an inwardly-projecting piece or shoulder attached to the flat side of the res-, ervoir H, in the position shown in dotted lines in- Fig. 3, and in section in Figs. 4 and 5, and arranged to collide with the projecting edges of improperly-placed hooks and dislodge them I from the arms of the plate J, thus-preventing such hooks from reaching the roadwayE. The properly-placed hooks pass by the shoulder U without touching it.

V V represent tufts of bristles set in one side of the lower portion of the box H, to prevent the hooks from becomingclogged orinterlocked in the lower portion of the reservoir.

The reservoir H is composed of two parts-- viz the concave or dish-shaped side 2, which constitutes the body of the reservoir, and is attached to the supportA, and the flat side or .cover 3, which is detachably secured to the part 2 by screws 4.. The dish-shaped part 2v has a groove, 5, at the margin of its concave side, in which groove the outer ends ofthe arms It move when the plate J is rotated. Said groove prevents any portions of the lacinghooks from lying in such position that they will get between the outer ends of the arms R and the proximate surfaces of the reservoir over which said ends move when the plate J is rotated. The groove therefore makesit impossible for the hooks to clog or obstruct the plate and to wear the outer ends of the arms R. The inner sides of the arms of the plateJ' bear against the shoulder formed by the groove 5, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 17. When the tubulanshanked lacing-hooks shown in Fig. Sare employed, the projection U (shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5) is not used, and onlysufficient space is provided between the outer side of the plate J and the cover 3 of the reservoir to properly receive the head or outer portion of the hook. This space may be varied to suit different-sized heads or hooks by tightening or loosening the screws which secure the cover 3 to the part 2,suitable washers being inserted between the part 2 and cover3 to hold the cover at the desired distance from the part 2.

At the lower end of the roadway E and under the setter B is a disk or-plate, or, attached to a vertical spindle, b, which is adapted to rotate in a bearing in the frame A. The plate a is provided with a series of radial recesses or pockets, 0, each of which is of sufiicient size to receive the neck and head of one of the hooks G, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. The

a pawl, g, engaging with the teeth of said ratchet, and a reciprocating rack, h, sliding in a fixed guide, 1 and engaging with the teeth of the pinion e. The rack I1. is connected by a rod, j, with the three-armed operating-lever.

P, and is reciprocated by the oscillation of said lever on its pivot. The lever P is provided on one of its arms with a curved groove, k, which receives astud or friction-roller, l, on the rear end of the setter'carrying lever O. The third arm of the lever P is connected with a treadle or other device by which said. lever is oscillated. The setter and the feed-plate are thereforeboth operated by the lever P.

m represents a thin metal plate attached to the flange F, and having its outer end in close proximity to the plate a, as shown in Fig. 11, and occupying such a position that it will force the hooks G into their proper place as they come under the-setter, as hereinafter described.

n represents an arm resting upon the'upper surface of the plate a, and adapted to oscillatethereon,.sa-id arm being attached to a rod, 0, which is journaled in lugs 19 p on the frame A. q. represents a spring adapted to rotate the rod and impel the arm n in the direction-indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1]. The outer end of the arm a has the form ofa thin wedge, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, and this wedgeshaped portion is adapted to support each of the pronged hooks when it is brought under the setter, as hereinafter described.

The operation is as follows: The setter being raised, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the plate a is held so that one of its recesses or pockets will receive a hookfrom the roadway E, as shown in Fig. 11. The lever P is then turned on itspi-vot, so as to force the setter downwardly upon the, prongs or the tubular shank of the hook, upsetting said prongs or shank, as shown in Figs. 13 and 18, The lever P is then turned so as to raise the setter, and at the same time moving the rack h in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 16. The rack is thus caused to rotate the pinion c, and cause the pawl g, pivoted to the arm of said pinion, to engage with the ratchet d, and rotate the lattera distance equal to the length of one tooth, thereby giving the plate a a sufficient rotation to simultaneously bring to the front the recess or pocket containing the hook last secured, so that the button can be removed, move the pocket which last received a hook from the roadway into position under the setter, and move another pocket into position to receive a hook from the roadway. In case the hook sliding into the pocket of the plate a from the roadway does not reach the inner end of said pocket, the spring at bears against the hook while the latter is being brought under the setter, and pushes it properly into the pocket of the feed-plate. The feed-plate J of the reservoir H is rotated step by step by its described connection with the lever P.

As before stated, the machine is capable of operating with either pronged or tubular shanked hooks. l

The wedge-shaped arm a, above described, is intended for use only in connection with pronged books. When such a hook is being brought forward to its position under the setter the portion of the hook resting on the upper surface of the plate a is moved bythe motion of said plate upon the inclined surface of the arm a. The entire hook is thus slightly lifted, so that the portion of the hook thatis in the pocket below the upper surface of the plate a is pressed tightly against the upper surface of said pocket. The book is thus firmly held, so that its prongs cannot wabble or be accidentally displaced while the setter is descending and curling them over, as shown in Fig. 13. After the prongs have been upset and the setter rises the hook, with the material to which it is attached, may be moved laterally out of the pocket in which it rested. In case the plate a is rotated before the inserted hook is removed, the spring (1 enables the arm n to yield and move with the plate, so that no injury is caused to the hook or to the arm.

Thesetterusedin connection with thepronged hooks has a concavity which acts on the prongs, as shown in Fig. 13.

When the machine is to be used with tubular-shanked hooks the arm a is removedand a settersuch as is used for upsetting eyelets is employed, as shown in Fig. 18.

1 do not in this application claim the mech anism for operatin g the rotary feed-plate and the setter, as said mechanism is shown and claimed in another application.

I claim- 1. In a machine for feeding and attaching lacing-hooks, the reservoir having the rotary feeding-plate provided with arms, substantially as described, adapted to collect and discharge lacing-hooks, as set forth.

2. The reservoir having upon one of its sides an inwardly-projecting shoulder, whereby the lacing-hooks, when improperly placed upon the rotary feeding-plate, are dislodged from said plate, as set forth.

3. The combination of the reservoir having an aperture, I, the inclined guide or roadway set edgewise and projecting at its upper end into said opening, and the substantially vertical intermittently-rotatin g feeding-plate having arms It, adapted to collect lacing-hooks in the reservoir, each arm coinciding with the roadway when in an inclined position, whereby the hooks collected upon said arms are caused to slide upon the roadway, as set forth.

4. In a machine for feeding and attaching lacing-hooks, the reservoir having the substantially vertical intermittently-rotating feedyielding wedge, adapted to insert itself under the neck of a pronged lacing-hook, when the latter is moved forward by said plate, and thereby firmly hold and support said hook for the action'of the compressor, as set forth.

6. The reservoir having the rotary armed feed-plate J and a groove, 5, receiving the outer ends of the arms of said feed-plate,whereby the lacing-hooks are prevented from clogging the plate and from wearing the outer ends of the arms thereof, as set forth.

7. The reservoir having the rotary feed-plate J, the groove 5, receiving the outer ends of the arms of said feed-plate, and the cover 3, secured to the body of the reservoir by screws, whereby the space between the outer. side of the plate J and the cover 3 may be regulated, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 30th day of December,

ANDREW EPPLEB, JR. Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN, A. L. WHITE. 

